Here Policy Expert offers a few pointers for students for keeping your accommodation safe this Christmas;

Whether you live in university halls or a private student property, visiting home at Christmas or Easter can leave your student digs exposed to thieves. Here’s what you need to consider before driving home for Christmas.

Although it’s important to take responsibility for your own things at university, you can still get contents insurance to cover yourself in worst-case scenarios. Some home insurance policies also cover student contents, so check with your parents’ insurance provider first. Stand-alone student contents policies are also available from some insurers. Leaflets from student insurance firms are usually circulated during the first week of term but you can also try looking online.

If you have any concerns about your security while at university, ask for advice from your parents, halls mentor or university services.

Vacant halls

Many universities offer students the chance to take a room for just 30 weeks a year. This time period only takes term-time into account and most students return to their family home over Easter half-term, summer and Christmas holidays.

Over these holiday periods, you may be asked to completely vacate your room. This could mean removing everything from contents to furnishings depending on your contract. They’ll also ask you to clean your room. Sometimes universities rent these halls to visitors over the empty period. Therefore it’s important to make sure you check underneath and behind any furnishings for anything that may of dropped down the back.

When you pack up your things, be sure to wrap everything carefully to prevent breakages and get rid of any food-stuffs from you room and communal areas. Clean your room thoroughly using appropriate cleaning products that the university should be able to recommend or loan to you.

Holidays are also a good opportunity to get rid of things you no longer need. You may be able to give quality items to friends or donate them to local charity shops. If not, your uni or local shopping centre should provide recycling facilities. The earlier you start this process the better, don’t leave it to the last minute when there are sure to be end of term parties and nights-out to enjoy.

You may not want to take all your possessions home with you, if not – see if you university provides a secure storage facility. If they don’t have such a facility, you could try a a well-known self-storage company in the local area who uses high-quality security features. Prices may vary, but you might be able to store some of your stuff near your halls for a reasonable price.

Occupied halls

If you’re allowed to leave items in your halls over the festive period, be sure to take valuable items like laptops, phones, cameras and jewellery home with you. Also, make sure you lock all windows and doors carefully and unplug all electrical items. If you must leave valuables behind, try to make sure they’re hidden out of sight to help avoid opportunist thefts.

Private property

After your freshman year you may want to move into a private property. Your landlord will outline how you should leave your property over holidays. Generally it’s considered best to shut off water while you’re away. You will also need to empty your fridge and throw away food that will go out of date. Cancel any regular deliveries to your house like milk and newspapers and make sure you get any other orders sent to a relative or friend’s address.

Your landlord should have bought buildings insurance (which may or may not cover the property when it’s empty). Comprehensive cover should pay out in the case of accidental damage, damage by tenants and also provide emergency home cover. Their policy may also contain a vacancy clause with regulations for how long the property can be empty for. They may have some contents insurance in place if they have furnished the property for you, however this will not cover your personal items in the house. It’s wise to buy your own contents insurance to make sure all your possessions are covered.

You can take other steps to secure your property. Tell your landlord or letting agency the dates the house will be empty and request they check up on it. Alternatively, ask a trusted friend or neighbour to keep an eye on the property wile you’re away. Automatic lights that are set on timers and burglar alarms can help deter night-time opportunists.

For all students taking a property for the next academic year, please note your deposits are due by today. You can make payment either via a bank transfer, calling the office and paying with a card (please note card charges apply), or bring cash to the office. For more information contact Amy or Nadine in the office on 01227 765008

Here at iConn we’re proud to say that we are an ARLA agent. Here ARLA explain the importance of staying gas safe in this useful article:

What set’s ARLA agents apart from the competition is their high standards, professionalism and credibility. Gas Safety is a crucial thing for agents and landlords to get right if you’re to protect your tenants, avoid a PR disaster and worse, a potentially fatal accident.

Annual gas safety checks need to be carried out every 12 months by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Landlords or their agent must keep a record of the safety check for two years and issue a copy to each tenant within 28 days of the check being completed and issue a copy to any new tenants before they move in.

As part of their contracts with letting agents, many landlords will assign responsibility to their agent to fulfil the gas safety obligations of the contract, so it’s vitally important that you have a good grasp on when each of your properties anniversary falls. It is a criminal offence if you don’t comply with your legal duties under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 and the HSE can issue a formal caution or decide to prosecute.

Help is here
One way for agents and landlords to dramatically minimise the risk of forgetting to schedule a gas safety visit or boiler check is to sign up to Gas Safe Register’s free reminder service. They will they email or text you when it’s time to get your appliances checked. This is a FREE service for landlords, agents or tenants to service their boilers on a yearly basis.

Gas Safe even provide a service for lettings agents or landlords with multiple properties, which allows you to do bulk uploads of properties. Once you’ve uploaded them once with basic details including the month which a check is due, they will do the rest! All you need to worry about is choosing a Gas Safe registered engineer of your choice when the time comes to complete the work!

So what are you waiting for – STAY SAFE and take a load of your mind and make – get proactive and !

If you’re not sure of your obligations under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, HSE has free leaflets and a free Gas Safety Advice Line offering telephone help – 0800 300 363.

They also offer some great advice here: http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/domestic/faqtenant.htm

See link for the gas map tool and reminder service:- http://www.staygassafe.co.uk

Rightmove reveal a few handy tips in order to prevent losing your deposit at the end of your tenancy:

As a young professional, moving into your first rented property is an exciting time; exploring your new local area, buying a variety of brightly coloured decorative items for your various rooms and ‘investing’ in homely goods (slow cookers, smoothie makers etc.). You’ve made it! You have your own home!

Sadly though, the sting comes at the end of your tenancy, when it comes to getting back your deposit…

Many landlords and letting agents have had problems with tenants in the past so those contracts you signed, without scrutinising, at the start of your tenancy can sometimes come back to bite you at the end. So here’ some things to think about before you jump in, to ensure you glide happily into your next home:

Before you move in

At the start of your tenancy, go around your property with the landlord or letting agent and go through each point on the inventory, with particular attention to damages. Only sign the inventory when you are happy that everything is included. If they claim they will repair something which is broken, as it is not on the inventory, then follow the conversation up with an email so you have a paper trail. It is also worth recording the meter reading.

Take photographs of all rooms before you unpack (to show the condition in which you received the property) and of any particular issues or broken objects on check-in, preferably with a camera which displays the date, to prove when it was taken.

During your tenancy

At any point during your tenancy, if anything is broken or damaged which you cannot repair, such as damp or electrical faults, tell your landlord or letting agent as soon as possible. If you talk to them via phone, follow it up with an email so that, again, you have a paper trail. And, again, take photographs of any damages.

Moving out

On check-out, get out your contract and inventoryand read it thoroughly before you begin. If it states in your contract that you should professionally clean the property, do so and retain the receipt – as if the landlord disputes the standard then you have evidence. Adhere to any other conditions, such as defrosting the kitchen’s white goods, if it is in your contract.

You should leave the property in the same condition as you moved in, but your contract will state, and it is legally projected, that ‘fair wear and tear’ is completely expected and acceptable. Things which don’t class as ‘wear and tear’ and which you should sort out are, for example, damp around the grouting of sash windows, limescale around the bathroom and general dirt and grime. This should have been maintained by you throughout the tenancy and is therefore not acceptable to leave behind.

Before you leave, and preferably when you have moved out your belongings, take photographs of all of the rooms, as you did when you moved in. Also, take pictures of any problems or damages, which you will have, hopefully, discussed already with the landlord or letting agent. Remove all rubbish and belongings from the property, even if you don’t wish to take them on with you, and check your meter reading again.

It is definitely worth requesting to go over the check-out inventory with the landlord or letting agent. If they allow that, you can look at any issues together and any reductions from your deposit won’t be a surprise.

If, after following this advice, you do have any problems with retrieving your deposit, you can log an issue with the tenancy deposit scheme with which yours is registered, who will give you advice, guidance and, if it comes to it, mediate a fair communication between yourself, the landlord and the letting agent with all of the evidence you have – so the paper trail and photos you have will be handy – to decide what portion you will get back.

Moving house is a busy enough time, so taking a little time before, during and at the end of your tenancy to protect your deposit is well worth it to save you the hassle and bad taste left afterwards.

Don’t get stung! Get back your deposit and enjoy your new home.

iConn ensure all deposits are protected with an appropriate scheme. If you have any questions regarding the above, or cannot locate your inventory and wish to have a copy emailed out to you in preparation for your check out, please do not hesitate to contact the office on 01227 765008.

Calling all students still searching for their property for next year! We still have a few three, four, five and six beds available for the next academic year, some even offering FREE JULY and AUGUST RENT as well as NO DEPOSIT TO PAY!!

Furthermore, for all tenancies that are compelted within the specified time frames, you will be entered into a raffle with the chance to win £200 CASH!

Please check out our remaining properties on the link below, and should you wish to organise a viewing feel free to contact either Amy or Nadine in the Lettings Department, who will be happy to assist you

For all of you students frantically trying to organise your accommodation for the next academic year, here at iConn alongside our NO DEPOSIT and FREE SUMMER RENT offers, we also are running a competition whereby for each student property rented for the academic year 2015-16, you will be entered into a draw and a property will be picked at random (date to be confirmed), with the winning group of tenants winning £200 CASH!

There is absolutely no catch, all you simply have to do is complete all of your paperwork on time and pay any monies due, and then your details will be entered into the raffle!

If you have any questions, or would like to book a viewing, feel free to give a member of the lettings team a call on 01227 765008

Calling all students looking for accommodation for the academic year 2015-16!! Here at iConn we have just released out student property list detailing all available properties. Some are even offering FREE JULY AND AUGUST RENT and NO DEPOSIT TO PAY so check out our list now and contact either Amy or Nadine in the lettings department on 01227 765008 to arrange a viewing today! Visit the website below for more information:

Some advice for student tenants regarding their utility bills and what to do when things are not right;

SENARIO ONE: If we are the managing agent for your property.

We have notified the utility companies on your behalf. When you first move into your property you are provided with an inventory which contains meter readings which were taken at the beginning of the tenancy. These meter readings are provided to all the utility suppliers registered for your address via our office as your opening readings. Some utility companies will take a while to update there information but you should start to see bills arriving this month.

You need to confirm with your Landlord if they have notified the utilities on your behalf, if they do not then you will need to call the utility companies yourself and set up your new accounts. Use the start date on your tenancy agreement as your opening account date and provide them with meter readings. These should be on the inventory provided by your landlord but if not then call your landlord direct to confirm them and what companies are the suppliers.

SENARIO THREE: If your bills are included in your rental price.

You need do nothing further as the accounts for the property will remain in the landlords name.

ADVICE FOR ALL:

If post arrives that is not addressed to you then please either drop it into our office or back in the post box with “Return to sender – Not at this address” on the envelope. This is normally due to a cross over of information being received by the companies and by returning to the sender it should stop them from writing to the address again.

If the post is in the correct names but the dates or readings are wrong you will need to call the company and confirm your details with them. Use the date on your tenancy agreement as your start date (even if you did not occupy for summer months your tenancy started on this date and so you are responsible from the tenancy start date) then provide them with your meter reading from your inventory as your opening reading. You may want to provide them with a more recent meter reading at the same time. This is advisable as most companies base their bills on “Estimated” usage and if you have not been in the property they may be overcharging you, by providing a recent reading they will only generate the bill for your exact usage. Once you have confirmed these details with them they will then amend your details and resend you the correct bill.

Water bills – these are normally calculated at a set cost for the year regardless of occupation or usage. You should receive two bills for your water supply, one is the water IN and one is for the water OUT. You can arrange with them to pay on a yearly, quarterly or monthly basis dependent on your preference but again the account will be from the start date of your tenancy. Some properties may be on water meters and the companies will come and read these every few months and will adjust your payment schedule accordingly.

Council Tax – The Canterbury city council are notified through our office of all our student properties. They will sometimes write to the address with a yellow exemption slip for you to complete with your student details to confirm that you are entitled to the exemption. These forms are also in your welcome packs. This is standard procedure and once you have returned this to them they will send you a new bill with a zero balance to show that you are exempt. You must be aware that if your courses do not start till later in the year there is a chance they will charge you for the period between the start date of the tenancy and the course start date if necessary and if someone living in your property is not classed as a student then the exemption will not apply. They may be entitled to a reduction but the full exemption will not be allocated.

TV license, Telephone lines, Internet access, Sky or Digital Television Services – are not classed as utilities and you will need to set these type of accounts up directly with the companies you are choosing for supply.

At this time of year the utility companies do receive an excessive amount of notifications because of all the student tenancies in Canterbury which turn over in July and August. We do keep a record of the notification from our office as proof but, because of the large numbers of notification, the companies sometimes miss things or set up accounts incorrectly. It is no problem for us to re notify them for you but, if a bill is arriving in your name it is more advisable for you to call them direct, as once an account is set up the companies will sometimes not speak with us because of data protection. If bills are arriving in your name or some companies have your details but other do not it is evident that our notification has been sent and that some companies have not updated their details yet, so you may wish to call them to confirm your details or call us and we will re send the notification.

I hope this information is useful to you but obviously if you have any further queries then please do not hestiate to contact us and we can confirm the best way forward.

CALLING ALL TENANTS!! For those of you who aren’t a fan of gardening, why not instruct our very reasonable gardener Pete from General Gardening Services to organise this for you? Or even obtain a quote!? Call 07814863228 for more information

For all of you students for 2014 – 2015 planning on collecting your keys on Monday 1st September, as long as all of your paperwork has been completed and monies received (check with the lettings team on 01227 765008 if you have any queries), then our office is open between 9am and 5:30pm. We are located on Castle Street in Canterbury, CT1 2PU.

**Please remember all paperwork and monies will have needed to have been received in order to release keys; you would have received an email and also a telephone call should there be anything outstanding on your file**

Students! Read this interesting article by Property News with regards to settling in with your new housemates as University begins….

Ok, so you’ve just moved in with your mates and you’re ready to party, or perhaps you’ve never met your new flat mates but hey, it’s going to be great, right?

Not always! So although no one really wants to sound like their parents by setting out the ground rules, it’s best to have a open chat with everyone about how living together is going to work out for the best. Even the most domesticated Nigellas and budding Bob the Builders will soon get fed up of always doing the cooking or fixing the broken boiler.

So as you start your tenancy, here are a few things to consider:

– Make sure that everyone knows the details of the tenancy agreement – sounds simple, but if just one person took responsibility at the outset the others need to know their share of the rent, when and how it’s due and how long they are obliged to pay under the length of the tenancy agreement. It’s most straightforward these days to set up a standing order to pay rent directly into the Landlord or Estate Agent’s bank account.

– As a household you need to budget for additional bills like electric and agree at the outset if they will be divided equally among everyone. There’s no point arguing every quarter over who uses the electric shower more!

– It’s a good idea to split ownership of various bills or make sure that the bills are in joint names to avoid one person being responsible for everything and, in the worse case scenario, the one being chased for payment at the end of your tenancy. If student bills are left unpaid this will possibly incur a poor credit score which could come back to haunt you later in life.

– A kitty is a common sense idea for shared items like tea/loo roll etc! And it may even encourage everyone to be more sociable – why not add in a little extra every so often and eat together in the evenings or go out for a drink or two.

– Going one step further than a loose change kitty it makes sense to pool resources and cook together – a lot cheaper than take aways or meals for one. And if you’re environmentally conscious it’s a lot less wasteful.

– If there are a number of you sharing and cleaning the oven is the last thing on anyone’s mind, it might be cheaper than you think to club together and employ a cleaner for a couple of hours a week. One less excuse to fall out with each other over who’s turn it is to clean the floors!

– Be open and honest and don’t let grievances fester. If you are annoyed at ‘Jonny’s’ girlfriend practically moving in as a new house guest say so!

– Be respectful of your other house mates at all times. Yes, everyone likes to party but if someone has important exams on the horizon know that organizing a party the night before is not the best idea.

– Decide at the start of the tenancy if your house is going to be smoking or non smoking.

– Remember, a tenancy agreement is only for a maximum of a year so if things don’t work out you’ll find new flat mates next year!

Eric Walker, managing director of Northwood, was scathing about Labour’s proposals, including the pledge to make it illegal for agents to charge fees to tenants.

He said some agents would not be able to survive such a move. “Contrary to the universal misconception that agents are raking it in, many make small profits indeed and this policy may push some over the edge.”

He went on: “If agents are forced to scrap fees from tenants, then inevitably, landlords will end up paying more which in turn could increase the rent the tenant pays.

“Couple this with the proposed draconian rent-capping idea, then of course some landlords will reconsider their position.

“It is of sinister concern that rent caps would be introduced at a time interest rates are predicted to rise, which spells disaster for many landlords.

“The lettings market is fine. It’s regulation and consumer protection which should be Miliband’s priority, not State controlled pricing.”

Carole Charge, director at lettings chain Leaders, said: “Labour’s three-year tenancy proposals are unrealistic. Without the right to regain repossession of their property, most investment landlords would not take the risk and pull their property from the market.

“The picture painted by Labour of tenants being forced out of their homes is not accurate. Reliable statistics show that the majority of tenancies are ended by the tenant rather than the landlord.”

Dorian Gonsalves, director of franchising at Belvoir, said his firm would be “dead against” the changes proposed.

“The existing Assured Shorthold Tenancy agreement can already run for a longer period, and changes to this could have a devastating effect on the supply of available rental properties.

“Ultimately, tenants would bear the brunt of fewer rental properties, higher rents and no alternative housing solution being provided by the Government.

“Experts have warned of the dangers of making changes to the existing AST or forcing landlords out of the market, which clearly some of these proposed changes by a Labour Government are likely to do.

“Tenants already have the choice of not paying letting agent fees. They can rent privately and this may be attractive to those tenants who prefer a lower standard of service, with no consumer redress and a landlord who may or may not respond to maintenance issues.”

Carol Pawsey, lettings director at Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward, described Labour’s proposals as “disastrous”. She warned that rent caps could lead to “many” landlords quitting the market.

The National Landlords Association said the proposals were “completely unworkable”.

Richard Lambert, its chief executive, said: “Were they to become government policy it would strike a devastating blow to investment in housing of all tenures and further constrain supply at a time of real housing crisis.”

The Residential Landlords Association said Labour had quite simply got it wrong. Vice-chairman Chris Town said: “All the evidence clearly shows that rent controls of the kind proposed would critically undermine investment in new homes to rent and are not needed, given that official statistics show rents increasing by much less than inflation.”

The British Property Federation also savaged the rent controls proposal. Director of policy Ian Fletcher said: “It makes no sense.

“Good landlords will be getting a perverse message that if you are providing a premium product the most you can expect is the ‘average’, whilst bad landlords with sub-standard accommodation can find another justification for charging over the odds.”

Source: Written by Rosalind Renshaw on behalf of Property Industry Eye http://www.propertyindustryeye.com/ban-fees-tenants-kill-agents-warning/

Autumn season has arrived and we have been experiencing a lot of rain over the last few days! At this time of year, our tenants start drying clothes inside their homes, which later down the line can result in damp / condensation build up in the property. Here’s a few tips on how to avoid this common problem!

BEDROOMS

Open bedroom windows when you go to bed at night; a 10mm gap will do. If it really is too cold to do this, wipe the condensation off the windows first thing in the morning, but please do not put the cloth you used on the radiator to dry as this will create more condensation.

SHOWER/BATHROOM

Ensure full use of extractor or ventilation fans. Where these are not provided, open a window after bathing or showering to give the steam and damp air a chance to escape. Wipe windows, walls and mirrors to remove condensation (a microfiber cloth is the most efficient means of doing this), and dry the shower tray or bath. Keep the door closed while the bathroom is in use to prevent the steam escaping to other parts of the house.

KITCHEN

When cooking, cover pans. Use exactor or ventilation fans where provided. If you do not have an automatic kettle, take care to ensure it is not left boiling. These precautions will help to reduce steam and therefore moisture in the air. Keep the door closed while the kitchen is in use to prevent the steam escaping to other parts of the house.

LIVING AREAS

Where there are chimneys, do not block them up. If a wall appears to be damp, do not put furniture right up against it; allow some circulation of air.

GENERAL

Make sure that any ventilation bricks or openings in the building are not obstructed.

WINDOWS

Keep glass as clear of condensation as you can. Wipe away any moisture that has formed using a soft cloth. Leave open any ”trickle” vents in double glazed units. Get into the habit of opening windows to keep moisture content in the air down and to air the property when you can.

LAUNDRY

Avoid drying clothes on radiators. Tumble dryers should be vented to the outside, unless fitted with a condenser.

HEATING

Provide a reasonable level of heating (no less than 10°C in an unused area, or 16C if in use); cold rooms are susceptible to condensation. Remember, the best way to heat a room and avoid condensation is to maintain a low level of warmth throughout the day rather than to turn the heating off while you are out and put it on at a high level when you return home.

PORTABLEHEATERS

Portable gas and paraffin heaters can create a significant amount of damp and condensation within properties. Please do not use these types of heaters unless you have permission from your landlord or property manager.

REMEDIES

Mildew may be removed from clothes by using a dry cleaning process.

Remove and kill mould by wiping the affected area(s) with a fungicide which carries a Health and Safety Executive approval number, precisely following the manufactures instructions. Alternatively a mild bleach solution will have the desired effect, but do test on a small area first.

Do not disturb mould by vacuuming or brushing as this can give rise to respiratory complaints.

We are pleased to announce that our Property Manager Tanya MacLeod has recently passed all four units of the NFOPP Level 3 Qualification for the Technical Award in Residential Letting & Property Management, and our Lettings Negotiator, Sam Macdonald is also on her way and passed the first unit towards her qualification last week! Well done to both of you!

This article from the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) is a very interesting and informative read.

With millions of Britons planning to holiday in the UK this year the Gas Safety Register are again urging the public to stay safe from the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning from charcoal and gas barbecues, as well as potential risks from camping equipment and gas appliances in holiday accommodation.
The Gas Safety Register have produced leaflets, posters, web banners and article copy to advise people how to stay safe while on holiday, attending a music festival, sporting event or any one of the hundreds of things the Great British public get up to in their leisure time.

BBQ’s have been linked to several campsite deaths caused by carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide is a highly poisonous substance which is created when ­fossil fuels such as gas and solid fuels like charcoal and wood fail to combust fully due to a lack of oxygen. You can’t see it, taste it or smell it but it can kill quickly with no warning.

If you’re planning on using a BBQ, whether it’s a disposable one, gas or charcoal make sure you keep yourself safe and don’t put yourself at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Follow these top tips for BBQ safety:

Never take a smouldering or lit BBQ into a tent, caravan or cabin. Even if you have finished cooking your BBQ should remain outside as it will still give off fumes for some hours after use.

Never use a BBQ inside to keep you warm

Never leave a lit BBQ unattended or while sleeping

Place your cooking area well away from your tent. Always ensure there is an adequate supply of fresh air in the area where the BBQ is being used.

Well done to our Lettings Negotiator, Sam Macdonald who did her bit for charity this month and ran the Race For Life in aid of raising money for an amazing cause, Cancer Research UK. If you would like to make a donation, please feel free to donate online and show your support!

I am pleased to introduce a new member staff who will be working alongside Sam Macdonald in the lettings team. Amy Chilvers is our new Lettings Negotiator and has previously worked in Lettings & Property Maintenance for over 18 months.

After a long winter, tenants should definitely make the most of the sunshine while its here! There is nothing better than the fresh smell of your clothes that have come straight from your washing line! ‘Sun drying’ can also help you save money and energy!

5 reasons why you should dry your washing outside:

Your clothes and bedding will smell fresh a daisy.

Sunlight is a natural sanitizing and bleaching agent, therefore will get rid of insects, bacteria, and other germs.

You will save money on your electricity bill as you don’t need to use a dryer.

Drying on the line is kinder to your clothes, they last longer and the elastic in your socks is less likely to disappear!

Drying your clothes on a radiator in the house can cause damp and mould to your property.

Information to landlords – iConn have noticed a rapid change to the student market this year which has been an accumulation of increased University accommodation, high University fees and a considerable reduction in UK and International students applying for places; which in turn has produced an unexpected high level of properties left on the market.

Normally at this time of the year most of our student properties have been Let for the next academic year.

We have been in discussions with other local agents whom are experiencing the exact same scenario and are looking at ways to attract those students that are still looking for accommodation.

What we are proposing to do is to reduce our administration fees for the students; making it more affordable for them at the start of the application process. A further option is to adjust the rental figure in order to become more competitive.

There will of course still be students that have not secured a property as of yet and those students that will come through the clearing process later in the year once their course has been confirmed.

We do not want to alarm you at this stage; however the purpose of this letter is to forewarn you of the situation and to agree a plan of action now in order to secure a tenancy going forward.

We would normally advise our Landlords to increase their rental income but with the high level of stock still on the market, an alternative solution must be found in order to secure you revenue for the next academic year.

If you would like any further information regarding this, please feel free to contact our office on 01227 765008.

In a recent claim a landlord suffered over £100,000 worth of damage to his property and loss of rent following a fire from a faulty fridge freezer. This case highlights the number of potentially dangerous brand new appliances in rented property and the action that letting agents can take to protect their landlords and tenants.

Over the past few years there have been hundreds of fires involving white goods, particularly fridge/freezers, tumble dryers and dishwashers, with more than a dozen blazes deemed “serious”. According to recent press articles, almost half a million potentially dangerous dishwashers are still being used in households because their owners cannot be traced. As an example, a batch of faulty Bosch dishwashers, made over a seven-year period, are at risk of catching fire. Just one in four has been traced.

Although manufacturers issue product recalls, via national advertising, letters and phone calls to consumers there are difficulties in tracing the purchasers, particularly if tenants have moved address or landlords have appointed an agent.

The Electrical Safety Council (ESC) found that the average success rate of recalls is just 10-20%. With 266 electrical product recalls in the last six years and manufacturers often producing hundreds of thousands of units, there are likely to be millions of dangerous products threatening safety every day. Following a survey, they claim that 2 million adults have purposefully ignored a product recall notice, a third won’t return an item if it seems too inconvenient and a fifth would not go without a luxury product such as a television or hair straighteners.

LetRisks has put together a checklist to help you protect landlords and tenants:

Register your contact details with the manufacturer for any new appliances when purchased. This is not just for marketing purposes – it may save a life.

Property management staff and inventory clerks should record the make and model numbers of each of the landlords appliances and check them against the Product Recall information websites (see below).

Ensure that appliances are checked regularly: The law surrounding Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) simply requires you to ensure that their electrical equipment is maintained in order to prevent danger. New equipment should be “supplied in a safe condition”. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provides guidance on how to maintain equipment including the use of PAT.

Remind tenants to check that any electrical appliances are safe and refer them to the Product Recall information websites. It is a condition of most tenancy agreements that the tenant must not bring on to the premises anything that might be a fire hazard.

Retain forwarding addresses for tenants and arrange for mail to be forwarded, if possible. It may include product recall information.

Use the Product Recall information websites (see below)

Electrical Safety Council (ESC):www.esc.org.uk/recall. You will need to enter a model number, brand name or description of a particular item. If the product has been recalled, the website will advise on next steps.

RecallUK is the primary product recall site that lists all UK product recalls, for all product types, announced in the last few weeks: www.recalluk.com/default.aspx

Arrange appropriate insurances, for both the structure of the building (that includes fixtures and fittings), and contents. Make sure that the insurance is suitable for let property and includes Property Owners Liability. Even if you are letting an unfurnished flat, we recommend that you arrange cover for limited contents (covering carpets, curtains and white goods) which will also come with cover for liability to the public and injury to tenants.

As most of Canterbury was covered with snow this week, which caused some disruption in Canterbury but also some great snowmen! its a good time to think on the winter repairs that may need attending to. Our referencing company LetRisks send us a monthly newsletter in line with trends they recieve on claims, they have really interesting article on inspecting flat roofs which is worth a read: Click on the link below for the full article:

SEARCH

About iConn’s Blog

We have created this information page to provide advice and information on all aspect of Property Management and Residential Lettings.

Whether you are a new landlord or an existing landlord of iConn and you are looking to keep up with legislation or looking for some general advice, here is where you can find it.

In addition to advising Landlords, we are here to provide all sorts of information for new and existing tenants.
As an ARLA agent, we are “governed by a Code of Practice” providing a framework of ethical and professional standards at a level far higher than the law demands.

If you do have any questions or queries which you can not find answers for on this page, please feel free to contact us direct. We are always happy to assist you.